{"id":21604,"date":"2024-08-23T16:18:41","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T15:18:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/?p=21604"},"modified":"2024-10-06T09:38:01","modified_gmt":"2024-10-06T08:38:01","slug":"parmigiano-reggiano-cheese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese","title":{"rendered":"Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: The Ultimate Guide to Italy&#8217;s King of Cheeses"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>First things first: <b>\u201c<em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em>\u201d cheese is not the same thing as \u201cParmesan.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p><i>Except when it is.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>This may sound like a riddle, but it\u2019s not\u2014and the distinction will be clear by the time you finish reading this deep dive into everything you\u2019ve ever wanted to know (and hadn\u2019t thought to ask) about <strong><em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> cheese<\/strong>. That includes several experiences unique to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/things-to-do\/why-visit-emilia-romagna-and-bologna-italy\">Emilia-Romagna<\/a> region.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21685\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21685\" class=\"wp-image-21685 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-pixabay-162850.jpg\" alt=\"A knife in a wedge of Parmesan and cured meat on a wooden board. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"1400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-pixabay-162850.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-pixabay-162850-768x896.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21685\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Here&#8217;s everything you didn&#8217;t know you needed to know about <em>Parmigiano Reggiano <\/em>cheese. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/@pixabay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pixabay<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Parmigiano_Reggiano_in_situ\" >Parmigiano Reggiano in situ<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Visit_a_Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese_maker\" >Visit a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese maker<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Check_out_the_Parmigiano_Reggiano_Cheese_Museum\" >Check out the Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Museum<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Go_to_the_Parmigiano_Reggiano_Fair\" >Go to the Parmigiano Reggiano Fair<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#A_brief_history_of_Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese\" >A brief history of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#13th_century_origins\" >13th century origins<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Rise_of_the_cheese_consortium\" >Rise of the cheese consortium<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese_Protected_status\" >Parmigiano Reggiano cheese: Protected status<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Making_authentic_Parmigiano_Reggiano_DOP\" >Making authentic Parmigiano Reggiano DOP<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Production_process\" >Production process<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Inventing_the_wheel\" >Inventing the wheel<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#What_about_the_stamp\" >What about the stamp?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Tasting_Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese\" >Tasting Parmigiano Reggiano cheese<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Characteristics\" >Characteristics<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Tasting_tips\" >Tasting tips<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/parmigiano-reggiano-cheese\/#Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese_vs_Parmesan\" >Parmigiano Reggiano cheese vs. Parmesan<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Parmigiano_Reggiano_in_situ\"><\/span><em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> in situ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Authentic <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> cheese is available in every corner of Italy today, not to mention markets all over the world. But there are a few cheese-related activities you can only do in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/food-and-wine\/food-from-bologna-parma-emilia-romagna-italy\">Emilia-Romagna region<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Just keep in mind that these are <b>often in rural areas not well-connected to public transit,<\/b> so your best bet is usually to book a tour that includes transportation or to rent a car for a day or two of exploring.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1899\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1899\" class=\"wp-image-1899 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/DSC_1012-scaled-e1724350853467.jpg\" alt=\"Castell'Arquato, italy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1899\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Visit the Emilia-Romagna region to get your cheese fix.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Visit_a_Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese_maker\"><\/span>Visit a P<strong>armigiano Reggiano cheese<\/strong> maker<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are hundreds of dairies in the region, and many of them have open hours when customers can visit and shop at the source. <b>There\u2019s a directory on the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.parmigianoreggiano.com\/dairies-find-dairy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Parmigiano Reggiano website<\/b><\/a> that you can filter by location and by dairies that offer tours so you can see for yourself how Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is made.<\/p>\n<p>Many dairies also open their doors to visitors a couple of times a year during \u201c<i>Caseifici Aperti<\/i>\u201d (\u201cOpen Dairies\u201d), <b>once in the spring and once in the autumn, <\/b>so make sure to keep an eye on on these events to be able to visit a dairy making and producing Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21689\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21689\" class=\"wp-image-21689 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/michael-lock-saUa9tj_Ssc-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Cheese wheels sit on a wooden rack in Italy. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/michael-lock-saUa9tj_Ssc-unsplash.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/michael-lock-saUa9tj_Ssc-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21689\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">If you want authentic <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em>, then go straight to the source. Photo credit: <span class=\"kbgas j4sZ5\"><span class=\"tdDHa\"><a class=\"vGXaw uoMSP kXLw7 R6ToQ JVs7s R6ToQ\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@milo_photo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Michael Lock<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Check_out_the_Parmigiano_Reggiano_Cheese_Museum\"><\/span>Check out the Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Museum<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There is a collection of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.museidelcibo.it\/en\/the-museums\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">food museums<\/a> in the Parma area, including one dedicated to <a href=\"https:\/\/parmigianoreggiano.museidelcibo.it\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em><\/a>. The small museum is a <b>former cheese-making facility,<\/b> and the displays and exhibits show how the cheese is made.<\/p>\n<p>By the museum\u2019s shop, there\u2019s also a tasting room where <b>you can sample different ages of <em>Parmigiano Reggiano cheese<\/em>.<\/b><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21679\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21679\" class=\"wp-image-21679 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Soragna_Museo_del_Parmigiano-Reggiano.jpg\" alt=\"Outside of the Parmigiano Reggiano Museum.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"902\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Soragna_Museo_del_Parmigiano-Reggiano.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Soragna_Museo_del_Parmigiano-Reggiano-768x577.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21679\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Get up close and personal with the cheese making process at the Parmigiano Reggiano Museum. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Soragna_Museo_del_Parmigiano-Reggiano.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Maxperot<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Go_to_the_Parmigiano_Reggiano_Fair\"><\/span>Go to the Parmigiano Reggiano Fair<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The<b> little town of Casina,<\/b> roughly 29 miles from Parma and 18 miles from Reggio Emilia, <b>hosts the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/fieradelparmigianoreggianocasina\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Parmigiano Reggiano Fair<\/b><\/a> (<i>Fiera del Parmigiano Reggiano<\/i>) in August. There are, of course, opportunities to taste and buy the king of cheeses &#8211; Parmigiano Reggiano cheese &#8211; along with music, art, contests, and even a parade.<\/p>\n<p>To make your visit even sweeter, make sure to read up on the history of this incredible cheese.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21690\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21690\" class=\"wp-image-21690 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lipetskaya-zemlya-isJJZhYn9Ic-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"A wooden platter with cheese samples on it. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lipetskaya-zemlya-isJJZhYn9Ic-unsplash.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lipetskaya-zemlya-isJJZhYn9Ic-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21690\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sampling all the cheese you can eat isn&#8217;t a bad way to spend the day. Photo credit: <span class=\"kbgas j4sZ5\"><span class=\"tdDHa\"><a class=\"vGXaw uoMSP kXLw7 R6ToQ JVs7s R6ToQ\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@lipetskaya_zemlya\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lipetskaya Zemlya<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_brief_history_of_Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese\"><\/span>A brief history of P<strong>armigiano Reggiano cheese<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13th_century_origins\"><\/span>13th century origins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><em>Parmigiano Reggiano\u2019s<\/em> origin story goes back to the Middle Ages. Some accounts credit monks with the original creation, but the first recorded mention is a <b>1254 sales receipt for Parma cheese sold in Genoa,<\/b> indicating that by the mid-13th century the cheese was already known outside the regions where it was produced.<\/p>\n<p>Starting in the 14th century, cheeses from Parma and Reggio Emilia ventured further and further from home.<\/p>\n<p>A <b>book of short stories by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio published in 1348 <\/b>even describes a fanciful town that has \u201c<i>una montagna tutta di formaggio parmigiano grattugiato<\/i>\u201d (\u201ca whole mountain of grated <em>Parmigiano<\/em> cheese\u201d), and by the 16th century the cheese was being exported to points all over Europe.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21687\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21687\" class=\"wp-image-21687 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/simona-sergi-xrd4Z5LCDgw-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Cheese shop in Italy. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"1800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/simona-sergi-xrd4Z5LCDgw-unsplash.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/simona-sergi-xrd4Z5LCDgw-unsplash-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/simona-sergi-xrd4Z5LCDgw-unsplash-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21687\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The origins of this cheese may not be fully known, but without it Italian dishes wouldn&#8217;t taste quite the same. Photo credit: <span class=\"kbgas j4sZ5\"><span class=\"tdDHa\"><a class=\"vGXaw uoMSP kXLw7 R6ToQ JVs7s R6ToQ\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@i_am_simoesse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Simona Sergi<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rise_of_the_cheese_consortium\"><\/span>Rise of the cheese consortium<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Duke of Parma <b>created the first \u201corigin designation\u201d for cheese made in his region in 1612<\/b> to distinguish it from similar cheese made elsewhere, but it wasn\u2019t until 1928 that the first consortium protecting the local cheese was established.<\/p>\n<p>In 1934, the Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Consortium gave the cheese its current name and developed <b>an official seal of approval <\/b>that could be stamped on cheese wheels so <b>consumers could easily identify authentic cheese<\/b> that met the consortium\u2019s standards.<\/p>\n<p>The name \u201c<em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em>\u201d hints at the dual provinciality of the cheese: <b>\u201c<em>Parmigiano<\/em>\u201d means \u201cfrom Parma,\u201d<\/b> while <b>\u201c<em>Reggiano<\/em>\u201d means \u201cfrom Reggio.\u201d<\/b> These collective nouns can be applied to any number of things\u2014a man born in Parma, for instance, is also Parmigiano (a Parma-born woman is Parmigiana). And the English version of \u201c<em>Parmigiano<\/em>\u201d is \u201cParmesan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>(No, the answer to the opening riddle isn\u2019t that simple, but let\u2019s call this an early clue.)<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20796\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20796\" class=\"wp-image-20796 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Marchiatura_del_Parmigiano_Reggiano.jpeg\" alt=\"Parmigiano Reggiano cheese\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Marchiatura_del_Parmigiano_Reggiano.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Marchiatura_del_Parmigiano_Reggiano-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20796\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Did you know where the cheese origin designation came from? Photo credit: <a class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Marchiatura_del_Parmigiano_Reggiano.jpeg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Udo Schr\u00f6ter<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese_Protected_status\"><\/span>P<strong>armigiano Reggiano cheese: <\/strong>Protected status<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In 1992, <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> got the European Union\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/food-and-wine\/dop-foods-from-italy\">Protected Designation of Origin<\/a> (<i>Denominazione d\u2019Origine Protetta<\/i> in Italian) stamp, often abbreviated in Italy as \u201cDOP.\u201d This stamp indicates cheeses that have met the <b>strict specifications established by the Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Consortium.<\/b> Without the DOP designation, you can\u2019t be sure you\u2019re getting true <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>There are protected regional designations for food products all over Europe, designed to protect both the people who make unique products and the consumers who buy them.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most famous examples of this is designation for \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/devourtours.com\/blog\/difference-between-champagne-and-wine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Champagne<\/a>,\u201d the sparkling wine that <b>can only bear that name if it comes from the Champagne region of France<\/b> and is made using a specific technique. This isn\u2019t to say that sparkling wine made with that method in another part of the world isn\u2019t delicious. It does mean, however, that it can\u2019t bear the name (or price tag) of authentic Champagne.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21686\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21686\" class=\"wp-image-21686 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-castorlystock-3693280.jpg\" alt=\"close-up of a parmesan wheel \" width=\"1200\" height=\"1400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-castorlystock-3693280.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-castorlystock-3693280-768x896.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21686\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">DOP designation is important so you can purchase <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em>, knowing it&#8217;s real. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/@castorlystock\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Castorly Stock<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Making_authentic_Parmigiano_Reggiano_DOP\"><\/span>Making authentic <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> DOP<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Production_process\"><\/span>Production process<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b><em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> is a hard cheese,<\/b> made with cow\u2019s milk and aged for one year at a minimum. But not just any cow\u2019s milk will do\u2014specifically, yield from the morning <b>milking is combined in large copper vats with the milk<\/b> from the prior evening.<\/p>\n<p><b>Insider\u2019s tip:<\/b> <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> cheese can even be <b>aged for three years or more.<\/b><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21681\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21681\" class=\"wp-image-21681 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/caroline-roose-HgbKnsaAu_0-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Two men making cheese in a warehouse. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/caroline-roose-HgbKnsaAu_0-unsplash.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/caroline-roose-HgbKnsaAu_0-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21681\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cheese making is serious business especially when it comes to <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em>. Photo credit: <span class=\"kbgas j4sZ5\"><span class=\"tdDHa\"><a class=\"vGXaw uoMSP kXLw7 R6ToQ JVs7s R6ToQ\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@carolineclementine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Caroline Roose<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Inventing_the_wheel\"><\/span>Inventing the wheel<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This milk mixture, with the addition of natural whey starter and calf rennet, is heated so that curds form and sink to the bottom of the vat. Once the curds have settled, they\u2019re removed from the vats, <b>wrapped in muslin, and placed into cheese molds.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The wheels are stable enough <b>after a day or two that the rinds can be stamped<\/b> with the cheese maker\u2019s official seal, and, after another couple of days in the molds, the wheels are immersed in a salt bath. They remain in this brine for a few weeks.<\/p>\n<p>When the wheels emerge from the bath, they take up residence on a wooden shelf in the cheese maker\u2019s aging room. Some cheese producers have enormous, warehouse-like rooms with row after row of tall wooden shelves from floor to high ceiling, each one covered with huge wheels of aging cheese.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21678\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21678\" class=\"wp-image-21678 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/kelly-visel-DyHwVJ5hnoQ-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"A wheel of parmigiano reggiano cheese cut in half.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/kelly-visel-DyHwVJ5hnoQ-unsplash.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/kelly-visel-DyHwVJ5hnoQ-unsplash-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/kelly-visel-DyHwVJ5hnoQ-unsplash-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21678\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> cheese is aged to perfection. Photo credit: <a class=\"vGXaw uoMSP kXLw7 R6ToQ JVs7s R6ToQ\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@kellyvisel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kelly Visel<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_about_the_stamp\"><\/span>What about the stamp?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As mentioned, <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> cheese <b>must be aged for at least 12 months,<\/b> and it\u2019s only at this point that the cheese can be tested by the consortium to determine whether it passes muster as authentic <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> DOP.<\/p>\n<p>Cheese that passes the test gets an additional stamp on the rind, a fire brand of the consortium. Any cheese that is deemed unworthy of the DOP brand is <b>stripped of the stamps on its rind.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re buying a hunk of cheese labeled <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> and the <b>rind is completely smooth,<\/b> it\u2019s from a wheel that didn\u2019t get the official DOP brand. It may be perfectly good cheese, but it\u2019s considered lesser quality by the consortium (and should be priced as such).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21677\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21677\" class=\"wp-image-21677 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-roderick-mintjens-269094687-12783228.jpg\" alt=\"Rows of stacked DOP certified Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-roderick-mintjens-269094687-12783228.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-roderick-mintjens-269094687-12783228-768x896.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21677\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Look closely to spot the DOP stamp. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/@roderick-mintjens-269094687\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Roderick Mintjens<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tasting_Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese\"><\/span>Tasting Parmigiano Reggiano cheese<em><br \/>\n<\/em><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Characteristics\"><\/span>Characteristics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> cheese may be anywhere from <b>pale to deep \u201cstraw yellow,<\/b>\u201d depending on its age <b>(older means more intense color).<\/b><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a crumbly cheese, which is usually apparent before you even try to cut into it\u2014wedges rarely have completely smooth sides, and <b>the color can appear somewhat mottled with flecks of white.<\/b> Those flecks are tiny tyrosine crystals that give <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> its familiar crunchy texture.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21675\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21675\" class=\"wp-image-21675 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-klaus-nielsen-6287521.jpg\" alt=\"Parmigiano Reggiano being grated by a chef. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"1400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-klaus-nielsen-6287521.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-klaus-nielsen-6287521-768x896.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21675\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> compliments any Italian dish. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/@klaus-nielsen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Klaus Nielsen<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tasting_tips\"><\/span>Tasting tips<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Because it\u2019s a hard cheese, <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> is easily grated for use as a garnish or to add flavor to a cooked dish.<\/p>\n<p><b>It\u2019s more versatile than you might think, <\/b>though, especially since the flavor and texture of the cheese can change so much with aging:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Younger cheeses are <b>excellent additions to a charcuterie board<\/b> or with delicate fruits like grapes or pears.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">While thin slices of <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> aged two or more years can hold their own against strong <b>flavors like steak or dried figs.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And, even after you\u2019ve eaten all the cheese, <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> is a gift that keeps on giving:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">When you\u2019ve scraped every last bit of cheese away from the hard rind, <b>toss the rind in a zip-top bag and store it in the freezer<\/b> until the next time you make soup.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Let the cheese rinds cook in the soup, removing them before serving.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Those rinds, though not really edible, still <b>pack a lot of flavor as seasoning.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more, check out the fantastic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.parmigianoreggiano.com\/product-guide-sensory-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-step \u201cSensory Analysis\u201d<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.parmigianoreggiano.com\/recipes-more-pairings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the pairings page<\/a> on the official Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Consortium website.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1369\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1369\" class=\"wp-image-1369 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/DSC_0806-scaled-e1724347562852.jpg\" alt=\"Parmigiano-Reggiano, a specialty of Parma\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1369\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> goes with more than just pasta!<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Parmigiano_Reggiano_cheese_vs_Parmesan\"><\/span>Parmigiano Reggiano cheese vs. Parmesan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As mentioned, the word \u201cParmesan\u201d is essentially the Englishization of the word \u201c<em>Parmigiano<\/em>,\u201d but when it comes to cheese things get a little more complicated.<\/p>\n<p>Like other popular food products with the EU\u2019s protected status (such as <a href=\"https:\/\/devourtours.com\/blog\/what-is-mortadella\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mortadella<\/a>), <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> is copied by producers all over the world. Unless it\u2019s made in the protected regions and bears the consortium\u2019s brand, however, <b>it can\u2019t legally be called <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>And the cheese\u2019s protected status in the EU goes even further\u2014cheese makers all over Europe are also <b>prohibited from using the word \u201cParmesan.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Outside the EU, however, it\u2019s a different matter:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Any \u201cParmesan\u201d you see that\u2019s made outside Europe may be allowed to use that name, but it <b>isn\u2019t required to adhere to the rules and standards of making true <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em>.<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">These products are basically riffs on the original, usually made with cow\u2019s milk, but <b>typically aged much less <\/b>than the one year minimum the consortium requires.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">What\u2019s more, \u201cParmesan\u201d is frequently sold pre-grated, which means it\u2019s <b>mixed with an additive to keep it from clumping.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Is \u201cParmesan\u201d inherently bad? No. But it is a different product, which can impact cost and may even have health implications.<\/p>\n<p>Several studies show that <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.parmigianoreggiano.com\/product-guide-nutritional-characteristics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Parmigiano Reggiano<\/a><\/em> is naturally lactose-free, which means many <b>people with lactose-intolerance can enjoy authentic <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em>. <\/b>Non-European \u201cParmesan,\u201d however, is not necessarily lactose-free, so this is one of the times when being a stickler for authenticity is important.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21684\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21684\" class=\"wp-image-21684 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/33565661168_92ecf265ae_k.jpg\" alt=\"Parmesan on a board next to a cheese grater \" width=\"1200\" height=\"804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/33565661168_92ecf265ae_k.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/33565661168_92ecf265ae_k-768x515.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21684\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Think you can tell the difference between <em>Parmigiano Reggiano<\/em> and Parmesan cheese? Photo credit: <a id=\"yui_3_16_0_1_1724350146368_2098\" class=\"owner-name truncate\" title=\"Go to Malmaison Hotels\u2019s photostream\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/mal-gallery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-track=\"attributionNameClick\">Malmaison Hotels<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>First things first: \u201cParmigiano Reggiano\u201d cheese is not the same thing as \u201cParmesan.\u201d Except when it is. This may sound like a riddle, but it\u2019s not\u2014and the distinction will be clear by the time you finish reading this deep dive into everything you\u2019ve ever wanted to know (and hadn\u2019t thought to ask) about Parmigiano Reggiano [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":21682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[64,262,207,17,264,263,136],"ppma_author":[202],"class_list":["post-21604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-tips","tag-florence","tag-italian-cheese","tag-italian-food","tag-milan","tag-parmesan","tag-parmigiano-reggiano","tag-venice"],"authors":[{"term_id":202,"user_id":90,"is_guest":0,"slug":"jessicas","display_name":"Jessica Spiegel","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/11d51fec6a4fdd6e513725e1c75be127?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"","last_name":"Spiegel","first_name":"Jessica","job_title":"","description":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21604"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21604"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21776,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21604\/revisions\/21776"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21604"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=21604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}